Recipes

Nov 29, 2011

Earlier this month, I was offered a 1-month trial subscription to Lollihop. For $18.95 per month, Lollihop sends you a box full of organic and healthy snacks! Along with the snacks, you receive tips and articles from the company’s nutritionist. Each box includes at least 8 snacks from many different brands, some well-known and some brand new. It’s a great way to try new snacks that you’ve seen in the store but have been to hesitant to purchase without sampling.

I love samples and I love snacks so I was eager to receive my first shipment! Cute box, right?

I immediately tore it open to find lots of goodies and fun messages!

Of the 9 different snacks in November’s box, I recognized 7 of the brands. I was super excited to try the 2 new brands as well.

It was breakfast time when I opened my box, so I grabbed the banana walnut fiber bar by Gnu Foods. I L-O-V-E these bars. I’ve done a full review on my blog before – see this post. This bar tastes like banana bread! Don’t be shocked that I ate it…with a banana.

Later that afternoon, I popped open the Somersaults. YUM! So much texture.

The Food Should Taste Good blue corn chips were probably my favorite item in the box. So crunchy and delicious.

Oh Larabars. Every health food blogger seems to be obsessed with these things. I don’t get it. Yes, they are convenient and have very few ingredients, but still, what’s so special about them?

LOVE! I’ve had many of the PopCorners chips before, and they’re all really good.

I also enjoyed the Bella Viva Bing Cherries. These were perfect in my oatmeal.

Speaking of perfect oatmeal toppings, the Lindwoods Flaxseed Cocoa & Berries are also a great option. Great stats!

I had heard of Bakery on Main before, but hadn’t tried their products. Not a fan. At all. This bar was um…chewy?

KIND Bars are another product I’m a huge fan of. They have so many different flavors, all of which are very satisfying.

Nov 28, 2011

Yeah, I know, I do a lot of weird things. I don’t care. My life is fun and interesting and I’m keeping it that way. After lunch and shopping with Amanda on Saturday, I met up with Ashley at Barnes & Noble. Knowing that we’d be there for quite a bit and that it’s always super chilly in the store, I made a pit stop at Palmetto Moon for a snuggie:Don’t be fooled. That is not me and I did not get extensions. Funny thing is, Ashley spent the entire afternoon wearing it and she hates football. Turns out she’s the hypothermic one in our relationship.

Now here is where things get strange. I’m sure all of you girls had a favorite Disney movie growing up? Right? Ok, well mine was by far The Little Mermaid. I wanted to be a mermaid SO bad that when I swam in the pool, I’d cross my ankles and pretend I had a tail. True story. I also thought that Eric was the hottest cartoon character I had ever seen.

Ashley and I decided we wanted to stay in and watch movies so we stopped by Blockbuster on the way home. We perused the aisles in search of a comedy. This was found. It may or may not be my biography.

Flatter myself? Don’t mind if I do. And I am serious about the crazy part. After nixing this movie and discovering The Little Mermaid in the next aisle, I demonstrated to Ashley how I used to swim in the pool.

Yeah, 0% normal right there. So, we watched The Little Mermaid on a Saturday night with a bottle of red wine. NOT SORRY.

No hangover in sight on Sunday morning, Rachel and I decided to go for a run on the beach. The weather was glorious: sunny and in the 70s. Can’t beat that at the end of November.

We walked/ran about 6 1/4 miles. It was so nice to be outside. Better running on the beach than getting lost in the currents…

Nov 27, 2011

Thank heavens for the weekend. As much as I love being a busy lady, I crave the weekends that I have absolutely nothing planned. Reason #29875928479832769826 it is fun to be single: no obligations to anyone but yourself!

Amanda and I regularly take a kickboxing class at East Shore, and we adore our instructor, Nicole. She is so motivating and thorough and we both really enjoy her class. Nicole also teaches Barre classes Go Figure Studio. She offered Amanda and I free spots in one of her classes, and this Saturday we stopped in.

This “Figure Method” incorporates Pilates, yoga, and classical ballet techniques. We worked in a room with a padded floor surrounded by mirrors with bars attached. (via)

During the class we used body resistance, light weights, a small ball, and bands. We focused on our arms, thighs, bums (“seat”), back, and abs – it was a great full body workout. I’d love to go to the classes regularly, but they’re not cheap and I am already a member elsewhere.

After class and a shower, we had lunch at Verde, a new salad-based restaurant downtown on King St.At Verde, the options are endless. You choose your base (greens), add your toppings, cheese, and a protein, choose a dressing and get it chopped, mixed, or in a wrap. They also have “Signature Creations” in case you need help deciding. I opted for a mixed salad with romaine and added chicken, black beans, chickpeas, shredded carrots, beets, mandarin oranges, and goat cheese with a fat-free raspberry vinaigrette. It was shaken and put in a nice deep bowl.

The convenience factor and the amount of toppings you can choose from is awesome. Ideally I’d top it with one of everything, but I’d need like four bowls! The only downfall that I noticed is both times I’ve been to Verde, they skimp on the protein like whoa. :( My muscles wanted more chicken!

But the interior really makes me smile. So much lime green! And on the wall, you can read “green” in multiple languages! How fun.

After lunch, we shopped for a bit. At a new jewelry store in Town Center, I found the most interesting clutch I have ever seen. It was brass knuckles + a clutch in one.

Major eek or major fancy? I did not purchase this.

Have you ever tried a Barre class? Thoughts?

What are your favorite salad toppings? I love mandarin oranges and beets on my salad. Sliced almonds are always a bonus while goat cheese is a must!

Nov 23, 2011

1. Twitter! Cannot stop tweeting. (@christinaorso) I thought it was the stupidest thing for so long, but now I’m borderline crazed for it. Weird. Last night I may have gotten one of the best pics tweeted to (at?) me:

My twitter (and hopefully soon real life) friend Holly sent me these name tags that I am 100% sure I need in my life. She’s also sending me a recipe for “husband-getter gingerbread cookies.” YUM. Stay tuned for those…

2. On Monday, Kaye and I went downtown for a run. After I parked and was about to step out of the car, some man drove right into my door. Now this wouldn’t have been a big deal, had I not been wearing the most obnoxious/embarrassing shirt I own. I had to stand on the street for nearly an hour like this while the cops wrote the report. I realize I look like a complete jack ass. Just laugh with me…

3. I’m now a fan of Starbucks – mostly because my friend Brandy works here. Charleston friends: if you stop by the location across from Town Center, tell Brandy I love her. She is the greatest. While working here, I enjoyed this delicious Spinach, Feta & Cage-Free Egg White Breakfast Wrap:

I was really impressed with it. And yes, my computer has an “xtina” label on it. Just in case. Here’s what it really looks like:

Nov 20, 2011

Of all of the races I have done in Charleston, the Pajama 5K is my favorite. It is one of the less crowded races, is held in a pretty area, and has an awesome theme: pajamas! Last year, Amanda, Nikki, T.J. and I wore some sweet jammies:

This year, I didn’t find any pajamas that I liked, but I did find a silly shirt that I couldn’t say no to. Paired with some spandex, I had myself a winning outfit!

We had a pretty good group this year: David, me, Mary Legare, Boding, Mike, and Noah. Let it be known that David’s PJs were purchased in the boys’ department of Wal-Mart.

The weather was clear and in the high 50s – perfect weather for a morning 5k. Despite these conditions, I was still pretty happy to see the finish line, knowing bagels bananas, and beer awaited me.

Of the registered races I’ve completed, this was my fastest 5K time:

Yeaaaaah! After the race, we munched on food and mingled with the other racers. Naturally, I had to take a picture my Charleston Pickle Company sign!

Then the awards were given out. Mary Legare came in 2nd overall for the females! So excited for her:

I wasn’t expecting this at all, but I came in 2nd for my age group! We were both pretty psyched about our snazzy medals and mugs:

We all had a lot of fun and hopefully will participate in the race next year!

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About

Spunky individual with a penchant for culinary delights. Lover of all things pickle-related and photographing what goes in my tummy. Likes? Chick-fil-A, Greek yogurt, beets, fiber, baking, and men who are attractive. Dislikes? Waiting for things to finish baking, bad grammar, slow talkers/walkers, being a mess, and people that take up my personal space. Whether I'm spinning at the gym, whipping up tasty treats, or reviewing a Charleston restaurant with fabulous friends, I'm loving every minute of this life.